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“Afraid you’ll cry?” Chad said without cracking a grin.
“Or she will,” Josh muttered. He wouldn’t run from a crying woman. But their relationship already had a shitload of serious. He didn’t need a high-drama movie tossed into the mix. Hell, he would have watched their favorite reality dating show. Too bad it didn’t air on Tuesdays.
“Take this,” Brody said as he walked into the kitchen and held out a DVD. “That way you can offer her a choice. Plus, Kat loved this movie. She begged me to watch it with her. I caved and . . .” His big brother raised his hand and rubbed the back of his neck as his gaze dropped to the floor.
What the heck? Is Brody blushing?
“It’s a good date flick,” his oldest brother added.
“Thanks.” Josh took the disc and headed for the door. “But I still think she will prefer the adventure movie.”
The screen door leading from the farmhouse kitchen to the great outdoors slammed behind him. But not before Josh heard Chad say, “How come you never gave me porn to share with my girl?”
CAROLINE STARED OUT the window of Dominic’s truck. She understood cause and effect. She’d ventured outside her comfort zone and now she felt skittish, as if she should open the passenger door and dive out of the moving vehicle.
But that would be stupid and probably lead to injuries. Then Lily would drag her to the hospital instead of taking her to Josh Summers’s place.
“It’s nice of you to drive me all the way over here,” Caroline said.
“Josh promised cookies, brownies, and a berry pie for the kindergarten bake sale,” Lily said. “I can take a couple of hours out of my Tuesday night to give a friend a ride if it means I won’t have to slave over an oven this weekend. Plus, I’m happy for you. Getting back out there. Dating again.”
“Two dates in two days might be too much,” Caroline said.
“After a year of sharing pie, I think you’re ready. But I’m only a phone call away if you change your mind. And I’ll be back in three hours to drive you home if you don’t.”
“You don’t have to stick around,” Caroline protested.
“I’m meeting an old friend for dinner in Independence Falls. It’s no trouble. Plus, I want to hear the details of your date.”
“We’re going to share a pizza and watch a movie,” Caroline said. “There won’t be much to tell.”
Lily turned off the country road and headed for the two-story farmhouse standing beside a bright red barn.
“They repainted,” Lily mused. “The house, the barn, it looks good.”
But Caroline’s heart was beating too fast to take in the details. She waited for the truck to halt beside the lone door on the long side of the barn. Three trucks lined the parking. Four now that Lily had added Dominic’s to the lineup.
“They’re here,” she murmured. “His brothers. Maybe his sister—”
“I doubt Josh invited them to tag along on your movie date,” Lily said. “Go have fun. You deserve a night out—or in—with Josh. Plus, I bet he baked you a pie.”
Five minutes later, Caroline surveyed the cramped studio apartment over the Summers’ family barn. A queen-sized mattress resting on a metal frame filled most of the space. Two doors lined the far wall both open just enough to glimpse a bathroom behind door number one and a closet behind door number two. A flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall. And a table surrounded by a pair of wooden chairs offered the pretense of a dining area in the tiny space.
No pie.
She didn’t see so much as a cookie on the counter in the kitchenette. But two DVDs rested on the round wooden table.
“Double feature?” she asked as Josh cracked open a beer and handed it to her.
“My siblings offered their suggestions.” He picked up the movies and held out one to her. “I’m guessing you’ll like this one.”
She glanced down at the familiar image. “Who picked it?”
“My sister.” He set the second DVD down beside the mini-fridge and withdrew a second beer. “The girl, she’s the hero in the movie, she fights back and kicks some major ass with her bow and arrow.” He opened the bottle, raised it to his lips, and took a sip. Lowering it, he added, “She’s fierce, tough, and hot. Just like you.”
She set the DVD on the table. “I fought because it was my job.”
“True, but when you were attacked by one of the good guys, you fought—”
